QJMotor SRV 600 V (2025 - ) review

The SRV is unlike anything we’ve experienced before – but in a good way. On face value, it’s an affordable, middleweight, bobber style cruiser in the mould of equivalent Chinese twins like the Benda 500 Chinchilla and Benda Napoleon Bob. The big difference being it isn’t powered by the conventional twin you might expect but instead uses a high-revving V4 that immediately sets the look and riding experience apart. That boldness is backed up with decent handling and equipment, novice-friendly manners and an eye-catching pricetag all worthy of more serious second glance. No, it’s not revolutionary or particularly practical. But the SRV is accessible, pleasing, refreshingly different and a welcome addition to the market.

Middleweight bobbers and cruisers often appeal for their unintimidating proportions and low-slung riding positions, and the SRV is no different. The nicely crafted seat is low at just 720mm, with a stubby, bobber tail that looks good if not especially accommodating of pillions. Its ‘highway’ pegs are quite far forward but easy to reach, the low, straight bars are well-placed, and its hot-rod gait is both comfortable and easy to manage. Comfort is surprisingly acceptable, the lack of weather protection not an issue. Or, at least wasn’t for the short two-junction blast we had along a motorway as part of our test. The novelty might wear off on longer runs but it’s generally an easy bike to get along with.

Exposed cruisers are never the most practical of machines, being built instead for pose, performance and not a lot else. That said, it’s great for shorties or relative novices, is very manageable around town for urban posing or commuting alike and fun through the twisties, too. No, there’s no weather protection, no luggage and not much room for pillions. Touring and long distances are therefore out, but nor is it as narrowly focused as you might expect, either.

The SRV’s big news is, of course, a V4 engine evoking memories of Honda’s old VFR400R supersports from the 1990s. In reality, however, it’s 561cc and sounds more like Yamaha’s FZR400RR from the same era. With 67 horsepower at a heady 10,500rpm, peak torque of 54Nm at 8,000rpm plus decent flexibility and belt drive, it’s surprisingly well-suited to its hot-rod role and hilariously entertaining. Just firing it into life is a hoot, blipping the throttle towards its shrieking 10,000rpm redline the more so, even if its smooth, high-pitched exhaust is at odds with the low-revving V-twin rumble you might have expected. The 561cc capacity means it also has reasonable urge to go with its free-revving smoothness, and only needs to be thrashed when you’re in the mood. Chunky ByBre radial brakes (Brembo’s budget brand) are also better than most cruisers, too.

The SRV’s low-slung, hot-rod style chassis is a more than capable ally for the engine, even if not that sporty looking at first. Bobber-style 16-inch wheels wearing fat, fairly budget, balloon tyres may not be the grippiest in the world, but with impressively adjustable Marzocchi upside-down forks and twin-shock rear the whole lot is stable, and confidence-inspiring while the steering is sharp enough to have fun. The suspension travel is a little limited so potholes can jar, but it’s sufficient and, overall, enough of a sports cruiser to justify that supersports engine.

The SRV isn’t just an intriguing middleweight bobber with a bonkers motor – it’s also a temptingly affordable one! The starting price is on a par with Japanese equivalents like the Kawasaki Eliminator 500 or Honda CMX500 Rebel but beats them on performance and equipment by virtue of things like radially mounted brakes and upside-down forks. The SRV is also fairly understressed, so won’t be too demanding on consumables such as tyres and brake pads. Belt drive also means no chains to maintain or replace over time.

This one’s a bit trickier. With QJMotor being a wholly new brand to the UK there’s no history to look back on. While Chinese durability and quality have got a lot better there’s still a level of stigma there, the budget price and cheaper components not helping on that score. Even the suspension, although by Marzocchi, is now made under licence in China. That all said the SRV’s also an undemanding cruiser, is relatively understressed and has few electronics, so we’ve little overall cause for concern.

The SRV600V, like all the new QJMotors, comes as standard with a two-year, unlimited mileage warranty covering all parts and labour from first registration, which is fairly typical but trails the three or even four years offered by some mainstream brands. Maintenance-wise, services are due every 4,000 miles or annually, whichever comes first. Like most new Chinese offerings this is shorter than average but, considering the type of bike and likely usage case, will probably be no hardship.

This side of full-dress Harleys cruisers are rarely lavished with luxurious equipment but even by these standards budget priced Chinese ones are stripped back to the bone, with no electronics, fairing, luggage or much in the way of creature comforts. That said, the circular 4.0-inch TFT dash is smart and has Bluetooth and tyre pressure monitoring (TPMS) while the levers and switchgear are reminiscent of equivalent Harley kit. Which is little surprise given QJMotor builds the Chinese-market X300 on behalf of the American brand, and adds a bit of cred. Less favourable are the budget CST tyres and underslung bar-end mirrors, which may look cool but are near-useless in practice.

It would be easy to scoff at the SRV600V for the fact it’s an unproven Chinese cruiser with the ‘wrong’ engine, budget cycle parts and no apparent price advantage over the Japanese equivalents from Honda or Kawasaki. But the spec is better, it comes from China’s biggest and most-established motorcycle manufacturer, the looks are convincing, it has more power and it handles as well as it needs to. And the engine is a hoot. If far from conventional if your curiosity is piqued it’s well worth a punt!